Kalanchoe plant named ‘Ficalanjamaica’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Ficalanjamaica’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching plant habit; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; double bright yellow-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICALANJAMAICA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Ficalanjamaica’.

The new Kalanchoe is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and freely-flowering Kalanchoe plants with double flowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Odense, Denmark in September, 2006 of a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 1110 (05), not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number 9185-02 (05), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Ficalanjamaica’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Ficalanjamaica’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching plant habit.     -   4. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   6. Double bright yellow-colored flowers.     -   7. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more compact than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe are more freely branching than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have smaller leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe have double flowers whereas         plants of the male parent selection have single flowers.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe are brighter yellow in         color than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Golden Girl’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Golden Girl’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more compact than plants of         ‘Golden Girl’.     -   2. Plants of the new Kalanchoe were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Golden Girl’.     -   3. Plants of the new Kalanchoe had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Golden Girl’.     -   4. Plants of the new Kalanchoe and ‘Golden Girl’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Golden Girl’ had yellow         orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ficalanjamaica’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer and autumn in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10,000 lux to 50,000 lux. Plants received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about three weeks then plants received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 17 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Ficalanjamaica’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 1110 (05), not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number 9185-02 (05), not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About eleven days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at             temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; greyish white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and uniformly             mounded plant habit; freely flowering habit with numerous             racemes positioned above the foliar plane; inverted triangle             with rounded crown; appropriate for 10 to 15-cm containers;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 16 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 17 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about five to             eight lateral branches develop per plant; pinching (removal             of the terminal apex) is not required but will enhance             lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 10 cm to 13 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2 mm to 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2 cm to 4 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 137B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical; mostly             flat; glossy.         -   Quantity per plant.—About 8 to 13 mature leaves and about 14             to 22 generative leaves.         -   Length.—About 10.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 8.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous;             coriaceous; succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully developed leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             developed foliage, lower surface: Close to 146A; venation,             close to 148A.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm to 8 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Double flowers arranged singly             in racemes that arise from leaf axils; uniform and freely             flowering habit with usually about 25 open flowers and about             25 flower buds per lateral branch and more than 150 open             flowers and flower buds per plant; flowering continuously             for at least seven weeks.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe             initiate and develop flowers under short day/long night             conditions or during November and December in The             Netherlands; flower initiation and development can also be             induced under artificial short day/long conditions (at least             14 hours of darkness).         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, plants begin flowering in about ten to twelve             weeks; actual time to flower is primarily dependent upon             temperature and light intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about seven weeks under interior environmental             conditions; individual flowers last about 20 days on the             plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.8 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Shape: Initially oblong, becoming tubular ovoid             with development. Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Color: Close to 4D and 14C.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About 30 to 36 in whorls; petals             imbricate. Length: About 6 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm to             5 mm. Aspect: Flat to partially upright. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close             to 14A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 14D. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 14B; color becoming closer             to 14C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 14D.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             8 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Oblong, pointed. Apex:             Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 138B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: None to             eight per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic, flat. Anther             length: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: Close to 150D. Amount of             pollen: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Gynoecium:             Pistil number: About four to eight per flower. Pistil             length: About 1 mm. Style length: About 1 mm. Style color:             Close to 138D. Stigma shape: Flat. Stigma color: Close to             8D. Ovary color: Close to 138D.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.05 mm. Color:             Close to 166C. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Ficalanjamaica’ as illustrated and described. 